Conversion optimization is the name of the ecommerce game. And optimizing your website begins with optimizing your homepage. Why? Because an optimized homepage means a lower bounce rate, a better user experience, and ultimately, increased conversions.
Your homepage is the face of your website. It introduces every other web page. Within a few brief seconds of visiting your homepage, users will determine whether to stay and explore your offerings, or bounce. Since every second counts, it’s crucial that your homepage makes the best possible first impression — and does it quickly. So, here are 11 ways you can do exactly that:
11 Ways to Optimize Your Website Homepage
1. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
We are living in a mobile-first world. There’s a good chance that you’re reading this on a mobile device right now.
How do we make a website mobile-friendly? Think practically: start with large call to action buttons that won’t be difficult to click with a user’s thumb, extra-simplified messaging, and uncluttered design.
Understand that mobile is no longer a secondary shopping device. As the primary device on which shoppers will see your goods or services, make sure that mobile is top-of-mind in your optimization efforts.
2. Improve Your Site Speed
First, what exactly is a good site speed? Today, the average is around 6.3 seconds. However, 90% of consumers abandon after 3 seconds. So, every second counts. To determine if you need to improve your site speed, you can take a look at your bounce rate. If it’s higher than 40-50%, you’ve got some work to do.
If your site speed can use some improvement, the simplest way to achieve that is to optimize images. Large image files are notorious for slowing down websites, and a homepage is no exception.
3. Remove Broken Links
As bad as it is for a link to take too long to load, it’s even worse when it doesn’t work at all. It goes without saying, but we’re reminding you anyway: always check your website for broken links! It’s helpful to go through your homepage (and your entire site) as if you were a customer visiting it for the first time. As you do so, click everything to ensure that you’re giving site visitors the best possible user experience.
4. Use Clear Language
79% of people scan and skim website copy instead of reading it in full. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that every word on your homepage has a purpose. Why take up space with something that won’t add value? Focus on front-loading the most important text and the calls to action.
It can also be helpful to approach your homepage similarly to a blog post. First, do your keyword research and select your target branded keywords. For a homepage, it’s typically best to avoid long tailed keywords. Then, make sure you’re keeping search engines in mind. You can accomplish this by placing your keywords into your title tag, meta description, and alt text to rank higher in search results.
In addition to ensuring your text is clear, easy to read, and valuable, it should also be scannable. This can be accomplished by using strong, eye-catching headlines, and small paragraphs. Do a practice run by glancing over your homepage briefly. Did the most important information stand out to you? If not, you have some formatting work to do.
5. Have Clear Navigation
Every new user who visits your site is like a traveler visiting a new location. So, give them a clear map to help get them where they’re trying to go. Depending on your site content, you may want to have category and subcategory browsing. If you have a lot of content, you may even want to offer a search bar. These methods will help guide a user seamlessly through your online store.
6. Put Best Sellers Above the Fold
Certain products and services are your best sellers for a reason. So, put them front and center to give them the attention they deserve. This also provides the most value to your customers in the quickest time.
7. Personalize the Website Content
What are your unique offerings aside from your core products or services? Do you have style guides? Loyalty programs? Configure your site to personalize these and other offerings to each individual site visitor. 74% of users are frustrated with impersonal website content. So, give users something refreshing with a truly personalized homepage.
8. Use Social Proof
Today, the large majority of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. Why? Because potential customers trust past customers. So, be sure to add reviews to your homepage. Doing this can leverage your happy customers into even more sales in the future!
9. Offer Live Chat
Did you know that shoppers are more likely to purchase if there’s a live chat option available? That’s why giving users a free-type field to ask questions can really set your homepage apart from the rest.
10. Show Quick Links at the Bottom of the Page
Don’t forget about the bottom of your homepage! Give your homepage a final touch by including a site navigation in the footer or near the bottom. Think: FAQs, return policies, and anything else that users may be looking to access quickly and easily. Feel free to repeat the links in your header, such as your about page.
11. Use Abandonment Strategies
It’s incredibly valuable to implement abandonment strategies, such as incentives, to help abandoning users change their mind. In fact, 90% of shoppers would shop more on a website if they were offered free shipping. Unable to offer incentives? No problem! You can get creative and reiterate existing offers.
Never Let the Optimization End
Always continue to test and optimize your homepage. If you want to take your ongoing optimization to the next level, the quickest and most efficient way to do that is to partner with an optimization specialist.
UpSellit, a leading optimization specialist, effectively turns window shoppers into lifelong, loyal customers with one-to-one behavioral marketing. This approach maximizes the value of every site visit, to ensure that your efforts have the best chance to succeed.
Let’s Take Your Homepage to the Next Level
Your homepage is your online storefront, so optimizing it is of the utmost importance. By following these simple guidelines, you can optimize your homepage and maximize your on-site success.
Looking for More Ways to Increase Your Conversions?
Check out UpSellit’s 15 Ways to Boost Engagement and Acquisition to learn how we help retailers increase conversions. It’s an incredible resource and it’s completely FREE.
